Discover Portici: Railway History, the Reggia and Parks

Portici brings together railway history, the Bourbon era, botany and several parks. This offers a choice of different themes for planning your trip: historic locomotives, a royal residence, plant collections and a park by the sea. Which of these you want to make a focus of your stay depends on whether you would like to prioritise the history of technology, cultural heritage or green spaces.

Railway history at Pietrarsa

The Museo Nazionale Ferroviario di Pietrarsa in Portici has a collection of historic locomotives and railway carriages that is unique in Europe. The tour is presented in an interactive and engaging way. The history of the Napoli–Portici line also provides a specific point of reference: on 3 October 1839, the first railway section on the Italian peninsula was inaugurated there. Anyone interested in transport history will find both historic rolling stock and the specific date of an early railway section here.

Reggia di Portici: construction history and finds

Construction of the Reggia di Portici began in 1738 under Charles of Bourbon. Archaeological works of art were discovered during construction, including a temple with 24 marble columns. The construction history of the residence is thus linked to specific archaeological discoveries; the number of columns makes one of these finds particularly vivid. For reference, the Reggia is located at Piazza Carlo di Borbone, formerly Via Università 100, in Portici.

Botanical garden and the scale of the parks

The Orto Botanico di Portici was established in 1872 and covers 7,400 square metres. More than 400 species of succulents from the deserts of Africa and America are cultivated there. The history of the grounds and a specialised plant collection therefore come together. By comparison, the Parco Gussone, located above the Reggia, is considerably larger, at around 36 hectares. The difference in size helps put Portici’s green spaces into perspective: the botanical garden focuses on plants, while the Parco Gussone covers a much larger area.

Parks and events

The Ex Real Fagianeria Borbonica park has a cycle path and a scale model of the Solar System’s planetary paths. Each planet is accompanied by an information board in Braille and accessible multimedia content. This brings together a cycle path and an educational route focused on a specific astronomical subject. The Parco Urbano Granatello offers a different experience: this seaside park includes green spaces, a play area and a recreation area. The parks can be compared briefly by their features: Ex Real Fagianeria Borbonica offers a cycle path and planetary route, while Granatello offers a seaside location and the three areas mentioned.

Villa Mascolo adds an 18th-century villa to the historic sites. It includes an amphitheatre where theatre and music events are held. If you would like to combine your trip with an event of this kind, check the specific dates in advance; the programme may change.

Discover more destinations: Bacoli, Casalnuovo Di Napoli, Casola di Napoli, Acerra, Cimitile, Giugliano In Campania, Ottaviano, Serrara Fontana

For the broader travel overview: Naples.